“Okay, I get it. You're real. You're very much alive and real. And very macho,” she added.
Kieron twitched his tail and smirked.
Gena relaxed a little and looked down at the towns and forests they were flying over. She still couldn't quite believe that this was actually happening. She was streaking across the night sky on the back of a beautiful, green dragon. Her angel was actually a dragon!
Gena gulped as she watched the world pass beneath them. Everything looked so small from up here. So small and insignificant.
“Where are we going?” she asked at last. “You said you're from Redrock Valley. Are you...taking us there?”
The dragon gave a curt nod.
“Are there any more of you?” Gena swallowed nervously. “Are there more dragons in Redrock Valley?”
Kieron nodded again.
She fell silent and took a few fortifying breaths.
“Are...are those dragons friendly? Or...feral?” she whispered at last.
Kieron turned and bared his teeth at her. Gena shrank back when she saw the rows of long, deadly teeth in his mouth. “Oh God!” she whimpered. “You're not going to feed us to them, are you?”
The dragon made a rumbling sound that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Gena's mouth fell open when she realized that Kieron was actually laughing at her.
“You! You were teasing me.” She tried to punch him but couldn't quite manage it. “Geez, you scared me! You scared the hell out of me, you know that?”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Kieron turned back to look at her and lowered his head. Gena sensed that the big beast was trying to assure her and apologize to her.
“Okay, apology accepted,” she said, patting the side of his scaly neck. “I know you're kidding. I'm just really jumpy and worried and scared.”
Kieron chuffed and jerked his head towards a speck in the distance. The speck grew larger and larger, until Gena saw that it was in fact a castle. That was where they were headed.
The castle looked like something out of a fairy tale. It was sitting on top of a hill, and the gilded roof glittered and winked under the night sky. It looked elegant and majestic, but it also exuded warmth. Soft light shone from the windows, and Gena saw the well-lit, lovingly manicured garden behind the castle walls as Kieron flew lower. There were beautiful rose bushes and a water fountain in the garden, and all the flowers were in full bloom. Someone seemed to be watering the plants in front of the fountain, but she couldn't quite see his face. She blinked rapidly when the figure straightened up.
He was wearing a butler's uniform but he had pointed ears, a long tail and clawed hands and feet. And when he looked up, she saw his glowing ruby eyes.
“W-what...” she gasped as Kieron landed softly on the lawn.
“Master Kieron!” the figure shouted, dropping the watering can. “Master Kieron, you're back! Thank goodness! We were all so worried about you.”
Kieron crouched and Gena slid off his back clumsily. She took a step back involuntarily when the gray-skinned, red-eyed creature scurried towards them. From his uniform, she gathered that he was the butler, but...what exactly was he? He was completely bald and his skin was a dull gray color, like the color of stone or concrete. His eyes were bright red, and Gena saw that he had sharp, dangerous-looking fangs and claws. And were those...wings? Was he a dragon? He didn’t look like one, and he was much smaller than a dragon.
Kieron shifted back to human shape and she felt his strong, warm hand on her elbow.
“Gena,” he said gently. “This is Lester. We...”
Before he could finish, a woman’s voice cut through the air.
“Kieron!”
A pregnant woman was waddling down the castle steps as fast as she could. “Ah, Kieron, where did you go?” she cried. “You just left without a word! We were so worried! You know Breene didn't mean it. He was just...”
The woman stopped when she saw Gena. “Oh,” she said breathlessly. “Oh! I...”
Kieron stepped forward and said quickly, “Simone, this is Gena. She's a friend.”
“Oh! Um, hi, Gena. I'm Simone, Kieron's sister-in-law.” Simone’s smile was uncertain as she stared at Gena’s stained, scratched clothes and limbs with concern.
Gena blinked at the pretty, pregnant woman in front of her. Simone's auburn hair was piled high on her head and she was wearing a maternity smock. Simone didn't have fangs and claws, and she looked like a normal human woman. At least for the moment. Who knows when she might shift into a dragon or some other fantastic, ferocious creature?
“You...what...” Simone began worriedly.
But before Simone could complete her question, Gena blurted out, “Are you human?”
Simone's green eyes rounded in surprise and amusement. “Why, yes,” she replied, chuckling. “Yes, I'm human.”
“Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I don't know what came over me...gosh, I'm so rude!” Gena grimaced. But inwardly she breathed a sigh of relief. Kieron’s sister-in-law was human, like her. She didn’t have fangs, claws and wings.
Simone waved a hand. “We’re family, but not all of us are dragons. I can totally understand your shock and confusion. I remember I was just as confused and incredulous when I first met Breene and Lester. I wasn't quite sure what to make of them. And Lester was in stone form when I first met him!”
Gena's eyes stretched impossibly larger and wider. “S-stone?” she stuttered. Why would the poor creature be in stone form? Was he...cursed?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
At Gena’s look of utter disbelief and incomprehension, Simone clucked her tongue at Kieron. “You didn’t tell her? Lester,” she called, turning around in a wide circle.
Lester, who was standing quietly behind her, stepped forward and said, “Yes, Mistress Simone.”
“Ah, there you are.” Simone smiled. “Gena, meet Lester. Lester isn't a dragon. He's a gargoyle, so he turns to stone during the day.”
“A gargoyle...” Gena sputtered. Dragons, gargoyles...just what might she encounter next?
“Lester is Breene’s best friend,” Simone went on. “Lester’s not a dragon, but he’s part of the family.”
At that, Lester looked terribly embarrassed. “Mistress Simone, I...”
The shy gargoyle shook his head and started to shuffle away, but Simone put a hand on his shoulder and gazed at him with pure, gentle affection. “Lester,” she chided softly. “You are part of the family. A very important part of the family.”
Ignoring Lester's mumbled protest, Simone leaned in and whispered to Gena, “Lester prefers to be introduced as our head butler, housekeeper, gardener and chef.” She waved grandly at the gargoyle and announced, “Lester is our chief of staff. He's in charge of the whole castle!”
At that, Lester straightened up smartly and puffed out his chest. “Yes, I am. Please let me know if I may be of any assistance, Mistress Gena,” he announced with pride.
Gena managed a smile as she blew out a small breath of relief. Her night was growing stranger and more surreal by the minute, but at least she and Alex weren’t in any immediate danger. Kieron's family members weren't all predatory, deadly, fire-breathing beasts. Simone and Lester seemed kind and gentle, and she decided that she could trust them. They wouldn’t hurt her and Alex…
“Alex!” Gena gasped and spun round. She saw that Kieron was crouching on the grass beside Alex. Kieron had laid Alex very softly on the grass when he landed.
Gena rushed to Alex's side and gripped his hand. His eyelids fluttered as he struggled to open his eyes. “Alex, wake up, please,” Gena whispered.
Alex squeezed her hand weakly to let her know that he could hear her. “Hang on, you’re going to be okay...” she said fervently.
“W-what happened?” Simone’s eyes widened in horror as she rushed over to them. “Oh God, were you attacked? Who did this to you?”
“Wolves,” Gena replied as Kieron picked Alex up and carried him towards the castle.
�
��Lester,” Kieron said urgently over his shoulder. “Can you call Dr. Emerson...”
“Right away, Master Kieron!” Lester said and hurried off.
“You were attacked by wolves?” Simone asked breathlessly as she and Gena did their best to catch up with Kieron.
Gena nodded as she helped Simone up the castle steps. “Yes. The Lightning wolves set fire to my house. Kieron saved us. And Alex shielded me when the wolves attacked us. He...”
Simone paled. “Fire? They set fire to your house! What...”
“The Lightning wolves are a small but vicious pack of wolf shifters in Thunder Creek. They killed Alex’s boyfriend and now they’re hunting him. They’re ruthless, merciless, soulless savages!” Gena spat and swiped at her eyes as her vision blurred suddenly. In her mind, she could see those terrifying flames again, consuming her aunt’s little house, burning everything to ashes. “They destroyed everything, they tried to destroy us...”
Gena suddenly found herself in Simone’s embrace. She didn’t even realize that she was crying so hard. She had managed to hold herself together and remain calm and strong for Alex. But now the full weight and horror of her ordeal came crashing down on her.
She realized that they’d just had a very narrow escape. If Kieron hadn’t gotten them out when he did...
“It’s okay, it’s okay...” Simone hugged her and rubbed her back as she gulped and swallowed her bitter tears of rage, frustration and pain. Gena suddenly felt so angry and helpless.
The Lightning wolves had no right, no fucking right to burn her aunt’s house to ashes! That little house had been Aunt Anna’s pride, comfort and refuge. And they had no right to hurt and terrorize her and Alex.
Would Alex ever recover from all his physical, mental and emotional wounds and scars?
She didn’t even know if he would survive. Alex was now fighting for his life, his mind and body in tatters.
“It’s not okay,” Gena hiccuped and pushed her tears away with the heel of her hand. “Alex...”
“You and your friend are safe here,” Simone said.
“But the Lightning pack...”
“If they want you and Alex, they’ll have to go through all of us,” Simone said fiercely. “Kieron and his brothers, Lester and me.” Simone smirked and patted her belly. “Don’t think that I’m just a defenseless pregnant woman. I’m a dragon’s mate and the mother of a dragon baby!”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
As Kieron laid Alex down on the bed in one of the guest rooms, Lester came bursting through the door, looking flustered and anxious. He hurried to Kieron and said urgently, “Master Breene wants to see you in his office now.”
Kieron nodded and turned to glance at Alex and Gena.
“Go. Talk to Breene,” Simone urged. “Your friends are safe here. Lester and I will take care of them.”
Lester opened his mouth as if to say something, then clamped it shut and wrung his hands. The gargoyle made his way quietly to Simone's side and whispered something in her ear.
At the door, Kieron turned back but Simone waved him away. Go, she mouthed. Quickly.
Kieron nodded and left. He knew that Simone wanted him to clear the air with Breene. But he wasn’t mad at Breene. He was mad at himself.
Swiftly, Kieron made his way to Breene's office and knocked on the door. Now that Simone was pregnant, Breene preferred to work from home. His home office was large enough to accommodate a long conference table and his staff sometimes drove up to the castle for meetings with the big boss. Breene was the CEO of Magnum Construction, and he had a good team in place. He was gradually letting Kieron and Lachlan handle more responsibilities and projects, and Kieron deeply appreciated the trust and confidence that Breene had in them.
Kieron knocked once on the door and heard Breene’s response. He closed the heavy door quietly behind him and walked across the large, spacious room to Breene's desk.
Breene was standing with his hands behind his back, gazing out of the window. Kieron knew that Breene had seen him fly back to the castle with the two humans. Breene was an older dragon, and he had seen and experienced a lot more. Kieron trusted his judgment. Evidently, Breene didn’t see any harm or danger in letting Gena and Alex into his castle. He could easily have intercepted Kieron and stopped him if he didn’t want the two humans here.
“Breene,” Kieron began. “I...”
“Who are they?” Breene said without preamble.
“I found Gena and Alex in Thunder Creek. They were trapped in a burning house. I got them out and brought them here, where they would be safe. The Lightning wolves are after them,” Kieron explained as quickly and succinctly as he could.
“Why?”
“From what I gathered, it seems that Alex got involved with a Lightning wolf called Joe. The pack killed Joe, and now they’re coming after Alex...”
“And the woman?”
“Gena sheltered Alex in her house, so the wolves burned her house down.”
Breene’s eyes narrowed. After a moment, he turned and gave a curt nod. “They can stay.”
“Thank you.”
“I'm not doing it for you,” Breene said tersely.
“I know.” Breene was a good man. He wouldn’t leave anyone in the lurch.
Kieron took a deep breath and said what needed to be said. “I’m sorry. I am really sorry. I shouldn’t have forced Lachlan to shift. I let my fear override...everything. I was scared, selfish and stupid...”
Breene turned around and regarded Kieron with his piercing, gray eyes.
“I know you want Lachlan's dragon to rise again. So do I,” Breene said. “But Lachlan has to be ready. Don't make the same mistake I did. I tried to force Lester to fly again when he wasn't ready and I almost killed him.”
“Lester overcame his terror and flew from the tower to save Simone,” Kieron said. “I remember every detail. I was there.” He closed his eyes and whispered, “I was there fighting you. And I almost killed all of you. You, Simone and Lester could have died...”
“Stop blaming yourself, Kieron,” Breene said sternly. “Vanora enslaved you. She tried to destroy your human will and mind, so that you would remain in dragon form and be her dragon to control. You want to help Lachlan? Let go of your guilt.”
Kieron sucked in a painful breath and said nothing. That was easier said than done.
Breene put a hand on his shoulder. “Work on it,” Breene advised. “Overcome your fear and your guilt. That’s the only way to let Lachlan heal fully. He feels what you feel. He suffered as you have suffered. Don’t cause him any more pain, Kieron.”
Kieron bowed his head.
“Come.” Breene strode to the door and held it open. “I think I should go introduce myself to your new friends. It seems that the young human male has woken up.”
Kieron made a sound of surprise. “How did you know…?”
Breene tapped his temple. “Simone has been communicating with me and telling me everything.”
Despite himself, Kieron managed a crooked smile. Of course Simone would tell Breene everything. The mate bond enabled Simone and Breene to communicate with each other through their minds, and they kept nothing from each other.
Kieron loved his big brother and sister-in-law, but deep down, he envied them. He yearned for what Breene had with Simone. He wanted a mate to love, cherish and protect. He wanted someone who was truly his, the other half of his heart and soul. Someone who could bring out the best in him, make him want to be a better male and rise above himself.
Gena.
Kieron’s hard, tortured heart lurched and constricted in his chest.
Was Gena that special female, that someone for him? She was the most amazing woman he had ever met. He deeply admired and respected her strength and courage, her kindness and loyalty. He yearned to earn her respect and love. He so desperately wanted to be the man she thought he was. A true hero.
But what Breene said next sucked all the air from Kieron’s lungs and made his blood freeze in his ve
ins.
“There is more to your female friend than meets the eye,” Breene said quietly. “She isn’t what she appears to be.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Gena sat at the edge of the bed and clasped Alex's cold hands in hers. “Alex,” she whispered fearfully. “Please, just hang on.”
Alex’s clothes hung in bloody strips on his pale, slim body and his blood was soaking into the clean, white sheets. Gena blinked away her angry, useless tears as she stared at the terrible wounds all over his body. Those gashes were deep and vicious, and she was worried that the damage to his muscles and tendons may be irreparable. Would he lose the use of his arms? Alex was still so young, and he had his whole life ahead of him. Why should a pack of evil wolves scar and maim him for life?
“The doctor,” Gena said, turning desperately to Simone and Lester. “Where is the doctor? Please ask him to hurry!”
“Oh, Mistress Gena, I...I tried to contact Dr. Emerson,” Lester said, wringing his hands in distress. “I really tried. I told Mistress Simone that...”
Simone was jabbing frantically at her phone. “Yes, Lester told me. It seems that Dr. Emerson is out of town. I’ve been trying to get another doctor, but...”
Gena shook her head rapidly. “There's no time,” she whispered. “Alex is running out of time.”
“Wait, I think...” Simone began, but Gena was no longer listening.
She turned back to Alex and was studying all the cuts and gashes on his body intently. She couldn’t wait any longer. She had to do something.
She could do it.
Instinctively, intuitively, she just knew what she had to do.
Gena placed both hands on Alex's shivering body and felt something unfurl deep inside her. A strange, soothing heat flowed through her veins and down her arms. She could feel the energy surging through her, coursing through her veins.
She slowed her breathing and focused on this growing ball of energy within her. She wasn't afraid. She just knew that she wouldn't hurt Alex. She was...helping him. She could feel it.
The Dragon's Match: Paranormal Shifter Romance (Hearts on Fire Book 3) Page 5
